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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29847480">Return to Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/abluecanarylite/pseuds/abluecanarylite'>abluecanarylite</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Saoirse Stories [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age: Inquisition</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:21:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>731</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29847480</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/abluecanarylite/pseuds/abluecanarylite</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Saoirse returns from the Fade with Hawke in tow.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Female Hawke/Varric Tethras, Female Inquisitor/Solas (Dragon Age)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Saoirse Stories [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2194374</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Return to Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written in 2016. An unbeta'd, barely edited, quick piece I've had sitting around in the files for a while. Thought I'd throw this up so y'all would know I'm alive. :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Return to Me"</p><p>by Erin</p><p> </p><p>Hawke rushed across the threshold of Skyhold’s gates and toward their dwarven friend waiting impatiently for their return. He was almost as shocked as Saoirse was when the mage practically tackled him, hugging him tightly around the neck.</p><p> </p><p>“VARRIC!” She pressed her face into his neck, her knees almost hitting the mud at their feet.</p><p> </p><p>“Hawke! Maker’s tits, what’s gotten into you?” He held onto his friend tightly and looked up at Saoirse and the Inquisitor motioned at the empty place amongst the group before realizing Hawke’s Warden friend, Stroude was gone. Wetness grazed his neck and he took a deep breath before leaning into his best friend’s embrace.</p><p> </p><p>“You can rest now, Waffles, I got ya.”</p><p> </p><p>Hawke shifted and Saoirse saw the kiss even before it happened; it was the same a certain elf received not that many months ago. The older woman took their friend’s face in her pale hands and kissed Varric hard on the mouth. Cassandra’s sharp intake of breath could have meant so many things, but the blush reached her ears and Saoirse bit her lip to hold back the smile trying to break through.</p><p> </p><p>Varric was struck dumb when Hawke finally pulled away, his eyes wide and the color having left his face. It looked as though he was trying to process the possibilities that suddenly presented themselves to him. Saoirse knew if Hawke had sacrificed any more than she already had, more than just a Champion would have been lost to the world.</p><p> </p><p>Hawke’s voice was almost a whisper, but the elf heard her say sternly. “If you mention Bianca, I’m going to set you on fire.”</p><p> </p><p>Color rushed back into Varric’s face as a relieved laugh escaped him and he pulled Hawke back to him. His arms held her tightly as he pressed his forehead to hers.</p><p> </p><p>“Bianca who?”</p><p> </p><p>“Bloody well, right, you arse.”</p><p> </p><p>* * *</p><p> </p><p>It was in the evening, close to supper, when Saoirse finally saw her friend again. This time he was in the library, surrounded by parchment and several of his own books. Hawke was no where to be seen, and everyone, even Leliana and Solas, had cleared the rotunda.</p><p> </p><p>She made a point to let her bare feet pad the floor harder so as not to startle him. “I hope the quiet means you’re okay, Varric.”</p><p> </p><p>Her friend looked up at her, glasses glinting in the torchlight. “I knew Stroud you know, not well, but he was a good man…” He tapped the quill on the bottle, looking off in thought. “I hope he’s giving the Fade one hell of an ass-kicking… that he found the other Wardens…”</p><p> </p><p>“The others will do better by him, he set an example they will want to live up to.” She took a seat in the chair across from him, trying hard not to upset his work. “But he will be the last, Varric. No more sacrifices…”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>In death, sacrifice…</em>” Varric muttered before looking at her. “Don’t jinx yourself, Inquisitor.”</p><p> </p><p>She reached out and took his free hand, “At least Hawke survived.”</p><p> </p><p>The mood in the entire Library seemed to suddenly change and Varric laughed. “Of course she did! Hawke would have probably punched another hole in the fade just to get out again!” His laugh died suddenly and he took a deep breath, squeezing her offered hand hard. “Maker’s breath, if she had… if you hadn’t…”</p><p> </p><p>Varric’s chair scrapped hard against the stone floor, and he was up and around her before she could even stand. His arms pulled her close into an embrace so tight she could barely breathe.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you. That sounds small in comparison to what you’ve done for me, but… that’s all I’ve got right now.” He pulled away from her, “Thank you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Are you going to kiss me too?”</p><p> </p><p>His face went red and he quickly rubbed his neck, laughing at her cheek. “Dammit! Get out of here, Firelight, I got letters to write.”</p><p> </p><p>She couldn’t stop the smile breaking across her face. “Firelight, Varric?”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t get excited, I might change it to Gossip before we head out next.”</p><p> </p><p>Saoirse smothered her laugh before pressing a chaste kiss against his brow and heading towards the stairs. “Thank you, Varric.”</p><p> </p><p>“For what, Firelight?”</p><p> </p><p>“For being a true friend.”</p><p> </p><p>With that, she slipped into the moonlit stairway, Varric’s soft chuckle the only goodbye she allowed.</p>
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